Retirement Plan Consultant

Ascensus; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

FuturePlan, part of Ascensus, seeks a Retirement Plan Consultant to guide plan sponsors and financial advisors on ERISA compliance, plan design and government reporting. This role serves as the single contact for employer, financial professionals and plan sponsors for their accounts, with meetings via video and phone.

You will work on plan operation, document updates, and deadlines, mentor coordinators, and ensure accurate valuation and reporting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• 3–5+ years ERISA experience in retirement
• Experience in evaluating financial data
• Relius software desirable
• Strong Word, Excel, and Outlook skills
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Strong evaluation and problem solving skills
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to prioritize, manage tasks and meet deadlines
• Ability to plan and supervise staff
• Team-oriented with exceptional customer service
• Ability to handle multiple priorities under pressure
• Willingness to work extra hours when needed

Responsibilities

• Provide exceptional customer service and problem solving with minimal client inconvenience
• Communicate effectively in verbal and written form
• Mentor Retirement Plan Coordinators to meet targets and client obligations
• Assist clients with plan design and document support, understanding IRS and DOL regulations
• Help clients meet IRS and DOL deadlines for qualified plans
• Stay updated on ERISA changes through self-study and training
• Communicate valuation reports, participant statements and testing results to clients
• Review annual testing and communicate results to clients
• Coordinate with coordinators to provide compliant valuation reports and testing
• Coordinate with actuaries, financial advisors, attorneys for conversions and new client onboarding
• Assist with book of business tasks and project work
• Protect confidential data and uphold security standards
• Demonstrate Core Values in daily actions

Skills

MS Word

MS Excel

MS Outlook

Communication

Problem solving

Detail orientation

Planning & supervision

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Relius

Job description

FuturePlan is the nation’s largest third-party administrator (TPA) of retirement plans, partnering with advisors in all 50 states. FuturePlan delivers the best of both worlds: high-touch personalized service from local TPAs backed by the strength and security of a large national firm, Ascensus. Our roots go back decades, with nearly 30 outstanding legacy firms now joined together to deliver unmatched levels of service, innovation and expertise to a fast-growing client base from coast to coast. The FuturePlan team includes more than 500 credentialed plan professionals, 60 actuaries, and one of the industry’s largest in-house ERISA teams. Learn more at FuturePlan.com.

Job Description

Section 1: Position Summary

Serve as a resource to plan sponsors and financial advisors for matters related to ERISA compliance, plan design and governmental reporting. This person is the single point of contact for employer, financial profession and plan sponsor for their accounts. A Retirement Plan Consultant is able to handle client meetings both on video and via phone. This position requires advanced knowledge of plan design, testing, 5500’s, loans and distributions and can assist on plan operation and document updates.

Section 2: Job Functions, Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide timely, exceptional customer service, including problem solving and issue resolution with minimal inconvenience to clients

• Provide effective verbal and written communications in a clear, concise and informative manner

• Act as a mentor to Retirement Plan Coordinators to meet or exceed defined business targets, firm goals and client obligations, as applicable

• Assist clients initial and ongoing plan design and document support, including comprehending their obligations with IRS and Department of Labor regulations

• Assist clients in meeting all IRS and Department of Labor deadlines necessary for qualified retirement plan

• Maintain up-to date knowledge of present legislation and proposed legislative changes with regard to ERISA law through self-study and company-sponsored training sessions

• Accountable for communicating valuation reports, participant statements and annual testing results to clients

• Review or perform, as needed, the annual testing for plans and communicate results with clients

• Work with assigned coordinator(s) to provide compliant and accurate valuation reports, participant statements, trust accounting, annual testing and reporting as applicable

• Accountable for coordinating work performed by FuturePlan operations on behalf of their client(s) for Audit requirements.

• Coordinate with all applicable parties, both internal and external, to ensure accurate conversion process for new clients (including but not limited to actuaries, financial advisors, attorneys)

• As applicable, work with assistant to coordinate and oversee activities that will ensure timely and accurate completion of book of business

• Assist with other tasks and projects as assigned

• Responsible for protecting, securing, and proper handling of all confidential data held by Ascensus to ensure against unauthorized access, improper transmission, and/or unapproved disclosure of information that could result in harm to Ascensus or our clients.

• Our I-Client service philosophy and our Core Values of People Matter, Quality First and Integrity Always® should be visible in your actions on a day to day basis showing your support of our organizational culture.

• Assist with other tasks and projects as assigned

Section 3: Experience, Skills, Knowledge Requirements

• Bachelors degree preferred

• 3-5 or more years ERISA experience in the retirement industry

• Experience in evaluating financial data required

• Experience in Relius software desirable, but not required

• Strong Word, Excel, and Outlook skills

• Strong written and oral communication skills

• Strong evaluation and problem solving skills

• Strong attention to detail and the ability to prioritize, manage tasks and meet in conjunction with business operations, including related ERISA compliance matters

• Ability to effectively plan and assign work and supervise staff

• Ability to work in a team environment to ensure common goal of providing exceptional customer service.

• Ability to react to change productively and handle other essential tasks as assigned.

• Ability to work well under pressure with multiple priorities and deadlines in a high stress environment.

• Ability to make reliable judgments concerning issues which, if mishandled, have the potential to create substantial financial and client relations liabilities for the company.

• Must possess strong facilitation, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, handling multiple priorities.

• Ability to elevate issues to appropriate levels within an organization.

• Ability to work additional hours as necessary to meet business needs